https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00074-1
Regular Article - Soft Matter
Light- and magnetically actuated FePt microswimmers
1
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
2
Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
3
Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Nonnenplan 4, 07743, Jena, Germany
Received:
27
February
2021
Accepted:
29
April
2021
Published online:
2
June
2021
Externally controlled microswimmers offer prospects for transport in biological research and medical applications. This requires biocompatibility of the swimmers and the possibility to tailor their propulsion mechanisms to the respective low Reynolds number environment. Here, we incorporate low amounts of the biocompatible alloy of iron and platinum (FePt) in its 
phase in microstructures by a versatile one-step physical vapor deposition process. We show that the hard magnetic properties of FePt are beneficial for the propulsion of helical micropropellers with rotating magnetic fields. Finally, we find that the FePt coatings are catalytically active and also make for Janus microswimmers that can be light-actuated and magnetically guided.
© The Author(s) 2021
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